Hairdressing or Barbering Apprenticeships
An Apprenticeship combines real work and learning. As an Apprentice you will usually spend 1 day a week in College and the rest of the week in your workplace.
Apprentices earn a wage and get experience whilst working towards a number of qualifications.
Example Job Roles as a Hairdresser or Barber Apprentice
- Hairdresser
- Barber
- Creative Stylist within Theatre/TV
- Salon Manager
- Mobile stylist
Progression Routes
A Hairdressing or Barbering Apprenticeship can open doors to a fantastic career! You could continue with your studies, undertaking degree level study at university after an Advanced Apprenticeship. Foundation Degrees such as Film and Media Make-up, which also incorporate hairstyling are becoming increasingly popular. You could also decide to study for a number of professional qualifications in your industry, or train to become a teacher of Hairdressing.
How an Apprenticeship works
There are a number of elements to each Apprenticeship and this is called the framework. Each Apprenticeship framework has up to three main strands:
- Competence based element
- Technical element
- Skills element
These strands are sometimes accompanied by additional qualifications to give the most relevant skills and knowledge required for the job.
Competence Element
Apprenticeship:
NVQ Level 2 in Hairdressing/Barbering
Advanced:
NVQ Level 3 in Hairdressing/Barbering
Technical Element
The NVQ covers all the knowledge necessary for Hairdressing and Barbering, therefore no additional qualifications are required for this Apprenticeship.
Skills Element
Apprenticeship:
- Application of Number Level 1
- Communication Level 1
- Information Technology Level 1 (optional)
Advanced:
- Application of Number Level 2
- Communication Level 2
Other Additional Study and Qualifications
Employment Rights and Responsibilities.
Case Study
Mizpah Ralph
Mizpah is currently completing a Level 2 Hairdressing Apprenticeship at Nelson and Colne College’s Apprenticeship Academy, in conjunction with her employer Paul Smiths.
She said, “I came to an Open Evening whilst still at Marsden Heights Community College and met with the Apprenticeship tutors. They arranged for me to have interviews at different local salons and helped me to put my CV together. They really helped me to choose the right salon to work for. My tutor Kathryn has also given me lots of support, both in the salon and at College, making me feel much more confident in my abilities.”
Mizpah said that an Apprenticeship was perfect for her because you get hands on experience, can study in the evenings and get paid too! Once she has completed her Level 2 Apprenticeship, Mizpah plans to complete a Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship at the College so that she is a fully qualified stylist at Paul Smiths.
When asked that she would say to other young people who are thinking about what to do after school, she said, “Make sure you have a look around all the different areas of the Colleges you are interested in. Try to sample the different subjects and speak to all the staff for help and advice.”
